The Nigeria Police Force has provided clarification over the transfer of activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, to Kuje Prison on Friday, shortly after he was granted bail by a magistrate court in Abuja.
Sowore, who was arrested on Thursday for allegedly inciting unrest and disturbing public peace during a protest demanding the release of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, appeared before the Kuje Magistrate Court alongside 12 others. The defendants all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court granted Sowore bail in the sum of ₦500,000 with two sureties. However, minutes after the ruling, the activist was reportedly seized by heavily armed police officers and taken away under tight security, sparking outrage from human rights advocates and observers present at the court.
Eyewitnesses, including activist Deji Adeyanju, alleged that over 50 officers stormed the court premises and used force to whisk Sowore away, even as his legal representatives were still processing his bail documents. Adeyanju accused the police of assaulting Sowore and acting without a valid remand order, adding that the officers claimed he had “insulted the Inspector General of Police.”
In response to the widespread criticism, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend the police action, stating that the transfer of Sowore to prison was in accordance with due process.
Hundeyin explained that an accused person remains in lawful custody until bail conditions are fully met, and that the remand warrant issued by the court specifically directed that Sowore be kept at a correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail.
He wrote, “The law is clear — when a court grants bail, the accused remains in custody until the bail conditions are fulfilled. If the warrant specifies that the person be kept in a correctional centre, the police must comply. This is standard procedure.”
The police spokesman also shared a copy of the remand warrant as evidence and clarified that the transfer was not intended to intimidate the activist but to comply with the legal directive.
He further emphasized that officers are empowered by law to use reasonable force when carrying out official duties, particularly in situations where suspects resist or attract public disorder.
The case has drawn widespread public interest, with rights groups urging authorities to ensure that Sowore’s legal and constitutional rights are upheld.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and founder of Sahara Reporters, has a history of confrontations with the Nigerian government over his activism and calls for political reform.
